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Thirty games remain for the Chicago Cubs on the 2011 season. Not that I’m counting.

On last night’s poor defensive showing, Darwin Barney said this, among other things: “We’re going to get better and be more fundamentally sound. As our defense gets better, our pitching will get better. That’s the way things work. There’s a lot of room for improvement, and we’re going to work really hard to get better and clean that stuff up.” It’s August 27, dude. That ship sailed four months ago.

Randy Wells attributed his recent good outing to a “kick in the butt” from a teammate. Turns out, that teammate was Ryan Dempster. “We see each other pitch all the time,” Dempster said. “We have pitching coaches and managers and bullpen coaches, but I’ve seen [Wells] pitch since the time he was in ‘A’ ball. I just reiterated something he knew, but he’s the one who did it. The key now is to continue that.” I know the takeaway from this is supposed to be how great a teammate Dempster is, and how Wells might be moving in the right direction. But all I can think is how it is yet another example of the ineffectiveness of this coaching staff.

Bruce Miles is guessing that top prospect Brett Jackson is not called up in September when rosters expand. Before you freak out, just remember that – unlike with so many other Cubs’ decisions – there is a good reason for not calling Jackson up: to do so would require that he be added to the 40-man roster, where he would have to remain all Winter. That means there would be one less spot for the Cubs to protect players from the Rule 5 Draft (for which Jackson is not eligible, and thus not at risk).

Andrew Cashner went 1-2-3 in his second rehab outing at AA Tennessee last night. He struck one out, and apparently still feels good.

Gordon Wittenmyer says the Cubs need to go after starting pitching this Winter.

Sahadev Sharma argues that the Cubs might be best off waiting until after 2012 to try and add to their rotation. Not because the 2012 Cubs rotation is looking particularly bright, but because the options available this offseason are thin.

Another example of Jim Hendry being a nice guy. Some kid’s career trajectory was changed for the better because he accidentally called Hendry’s cell phone.

Former Cub Doug Glanville writes a glowing defense of Hendry’s time with the Cubs, but it actually reads more like a very familiar criticism of how the Cubs have handled their prospects over the years.

Gordon Wittenmyer says the Cubs need to go after starting pitching this Winter.

DUH! That’s some serious journalism!

Matt Murton

Gordon Wittenmeyer is a smelly pirate hooker.

Fishin Phil

That is an insult to smelly pirate hookers everywhere.

http://www.frenchrocks.net Ian Afterbirth

Are we safe in assuming we’ll have new pitching and hitting coaches/staffs?

Fishin Phil

If not, I am going to cry uncontrollably.

MichiganGoat

Holding Jackson till next year makes sense for a number of reasons:

1-it gives us an extra year of arbitration
2-the rule 5 thing is a big deal with a thin farm system, we can’t afford to lose anybody
3-Q won’t start him regularly, he’ll be behind Colvin and Campana and when he does play he’ll bat 8th
4-he needs to stay away from this cancer of a team

Just leave him in AAA and winter ball so he can develop and let the next coach use him properly. I am certain we will aggressively shop Byrd and try to unload Soriano shoe will be a starter next year unless he tanks during Spring Training.

why mess with Cashner as a starter?…he was a closer in college….if they count on him for the rotation they are idiots(I guess me saying the Cubs are idiots is like Wittenmyer saying they need pitching)….he and Carpenter should strictly be bullpen arms…your pen for 2012 should be Carpenter, Cashner, Woody(assuming he lets us pay him peanuts again), Marmol(unless you can trade him), Notre Dame wide-out, Russell and Marshall….assuming they go with 12 pitchers…that’s 4 righties that throw 90 plus and two good situational lefties….you need two solid MLB starters to go with Garza, and Dempster,

Wells competes for the fifth spot with any propsects…

Toosh

Jim Hendry might have been a nice guy but it’s time to forget about him. As another former Cub and Hall-of-Famer once supposedly said, “Nice guys finish last”.

Deez

Anyone know whatever happened to the wavier claim on Floyd?

TSB

It’s probably a good idea not bringing Jackson up. If he isn’t hitting .500 by the end of the first two weeks, some Cub fans will be saying he is no good, and trade him for some prospects.

funkster

If he’s going to end up sitting on his ass, which seems likely and a very “Cubs” thing to do, why bother..leave him down.

savant

To waste a month of B Jacksson getting his feet wet at the big league level to protect a roster spot for Smaily Borges or Michael Burgess is an asinine idea. The Cubs organization does not have enough high level talent to worry about losing anyone in the rule V.

http://www.bleachernation.com Brett

Dude. Way to drop the Smaily Borges bomb. Forgot about that name.

ry

does anyone really care what doug glanville has to say about hendry??????

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